Boxing: Charlo drops Yorgey in eighth round knock-out

Every year…every week…every day... people get on planes leaving Las Vegas without smiles on their faces — leaving the desert oasis without having accomplished what they went there for.

Most of them are riding a wave of disappointment because they failed to find riches through a successful gambling expedition.

Harry Joe Yorgey, the nationally-ranked boxer from Bridgeport, returned home from the neon-drenched city in Nevada Sunday without having accomplished what he went there for.

Yorgey went to Vegas looking for a win over Jermell Charlo in a 10-round bout for vacant WBC (World Boxing Council) Continental super welterweight title Saturday night at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Unfortunately for Yorgey (25-1-1, 12 KOs), it was Charlo (20-0-0, 10 KOs) who got the win and the belt. Charlo kept his perfect record intact when he knocked Yorgey out in the eighth round.

One of Yorgey’s prime assets is his speed. But, on this night, it was Charlo who had the faster fists. He repeatedly shot a jab through that found its mark and followed with a hard right that connected.

“He wasn’t faster than I expected,” said Yorgey. “I seen the shots coming. Some got blocked and some got through. I just had no juice — no get-up-and-go.”

Yorgey looked somewhat off-pace right from the opening bell. Then, in the second round, Charlo followed a left jab with a hard right to just above Yorgey’s left ear that sent the Bridgeport boxer to the canvas.

A similar combination later in the round produced a similar result. Yorgey continued to fight hard but it was obvious that the shots to his ear were affecting his equilibrium,

“Getting hit on the ear — they’re the only shots that have ever knocked me down in my career,” said Yorgey. “My equilibrium was a little shaky after the first knockdown and then I got hit there again.

“I just didn’t feel right the whole fight. I’m going up to 160 from now on. I don’t want to fight at 154 anymore. I was in the sauna because I had to lose three pounds on the day of the weigh-in and that drained me. I felt really lackadaisical during the fight.

“I really didn’t have any juice at all. I’m not making any excuses. He won the fight clearly. He’s a good fighter. I’m a good fighter. Somebody had to lose.”

Charlo, who was 13 years younger, was one-and-a-half inches taller and had a reach that was three-and-a-half inches longer than Yorgey’s. He was also the busier fighter Saturday connecting on 144 of 411 punches while Yorgey was landing 29 of 155.

“It’s time for me to test the waters at 160,” said Yorgey. “This happens a lot to fighters. They reach a point where they realize they have to move up in weight class. I’m 25-2. I’ve got a lot of fights still to come.”

Yorgey hopes to have his next fight 10-12 weeks from now.

“I got a cut on my eye so I have to let it heal,” said Yorgey. “I have to give it 60 days to heal. So, I’m looking to have my next fight in April — and to be fighting at 160.”

Saturday night’s fight card, which was televised live on Showtime, featured a first-round KO by Argentina’s Lucas Martin Matthysse over Mike Dallas, Jr. in a 12-round bout for the interim WBC light welterweight title and a 10-round decision by Mexico’s Jesus Sotto Karass over Turkey’s Selcun Aydin.